Page 18 of Dragon Heir

“I didn’t expect to find you on my left side during this meal,” Allard teased.

Ware shot up and glared at him as Vargas covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. I didn’t get the joke until I remembered where I was seated according to Will’s chair. I snatched up my napkin and bit into it to keep from laughing.

“W-whatever do you mean, sir?” Ware blustered.

Allard shook his head as his eyes twinkled. “Nothing, sir, only that we find ourselves in a most amusing situation.”

Vargas gathered herself and cleared her throat. “Yes, well, humor aside how long should we wait for the other guest?” she mused as she nodded at the steaming platters. “The food will not wait all-”

Her question was answered by the sudden and very speedy arrival of Sir Slechtic. He didn’t use the door but flew in through the window and landed with a bounce on the floor behind his intended seat. He zipped about the table leaving little husk marks on the rug.

“I smell a good meal!” Sir Slechtic shouted as he took another turn about the table. “When will it be served?”

“As soon as you are seated,” Will called to him.

“Why didn’t you say so sooner?” Sir Slechtic scolded him as he took a sharp turn behind Will and his magical machine flew up where he landed neatly on the table.

The Tenky lord skidded to a stop beside his plate and dismounted. He snapped his fingers and the magic that held the walnut together vanished. The two real pieces clattered to the table beside the plate as Sir Slechtic plopped himself down on the other side of the china.

He folded his arms over his chest and nodded. “Now then, let’s eat.”

The meal was served and the air filled with the soft sounds of appreciation as everyone dug into the food. My biscuits vanished and Vargas’ soup was even better than it smelled. A half-hour passed with barely a word between us before Sir Slecthic set down a small spoon he had provided for himself and leaned back. A great grin spread across his face as he patted his stomach.

“An excellent meal if I ever tasted one!” he complimented us as he picked at some crumbs left by one of my biscuits. “My compliments to the chef!”

“Chefs,” Vargas corrected him as she pointed at herself and me. “We both of us worked together to prepare this perfect meal.”

“You’ll have to do it again for the rest of my folk when they return!” Slecthic insisted as he popped his fingertips out of his mouth to leave them perfectly clean. Vargas’ eye twitched but he finished before she chimed in with her opinion on his table manners. Instead, our small guest looked up at Will. “Now what were you wanting to ask me about specifically? That is why you had me over for some vittles, isn’t it?”

Will smiled. “I had hoped you could provide news about the carriage or perhaps any sightings of the strange creature we described.”

The Tenky lord shook his head. “Not a sign of either of them but I haven’t heard back from all the fellas yet.”

“One of your guys came around here earlier,” I spoke up as I recalled the meeting at the window sill. “He said one of your men was missing.”

Slechtic lifted an eyebrow. “Missing, eh? That I haven’t heard. You didn’t happen to pick up some names, did ya?”

I shook my head. “I’m afraid we didn’t, but Lady Vargas can vouch for me-”

The Tenky lifted one hand and shook his head. “I’m not doubting your word for a second, My Lady, but it’ll be a sight easier to know what you’re talking about with names.”

“We did not inquire as to any of their names,” Vargas spoke up.

The lord shrugged. “No problem. I’ll get to making some inquiries and see if he isn’t found. He was probably one of the ones tasked with going to the village and he found himself with a coin in his beard that went to buying himself a pint.”

Ware lifted an eyebrow. “A coin in his beard?”

“Of course,” Slechtic replied as he reached into his crop of facial hair and drew out a gold coin. “We always keep some money on us in case a human has something we’re eyeing.” Vargas hid her disgust behind her handkerchief while a smile danced across Allard’s lips. The Tenky lord tucked the money back into his beard and none of us could see even a hair out of place for it being in there. He stood and brushed out the creases and crumbs in his pants. “Now then, if nothing else is wanted I’ll be on my way to rejoin my people on the hunt.”

Slechtic snapped his fingers and the walnut halves came alive again. The ‘machine’ roared and plopped him back into the leaf saddle. He gave a nod toward Will before he drove off back through the same window through which he had entered.

Chapter Twelve

Vargas was the first to speak up after the Tenky had vanished. “My word, but what a bold one he is!”

Ware shoveled some more of the food into his mouth before he nodded. “Quite.”

She frowned at him. “And as bad a table manner as someone I know.”

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